Thread finishing machine



Dec. 21, 1948. A. E. WINSLOW V THREAD FINISHING MACHINE Original FiledJan. 11. 1944,

'7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JVlek/ZIZ Mao/o W ll Z ATTORNEYS Dec. 21,1948- A. E. WINSLOW I I THREAD FINISHING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed Jan. 11. 1944 Original Filed Jan. 11, 1944 Dec, 21, 1948.wg s ow 2,456,804

THREAD FINISHING MACHINE '7 She'ets-Sheet 3 HNVENTOR Dec. 21, 1948. E 5,wmsgow 2,456,804

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Origihal Filed Jan. 11, 1944 '2' Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTNS Dec. 21, 1948. A.E. WINSLOW 2,456,804

THREAD FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 11, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet '5mvsmon wary/5 M725! w 1 ATTORNEYS Dec. 21, 1948. A. E. WINSLOW 2,456,804

THREAD FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. I1, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 21, 1948. A. E. WINSLOW THREAD FINISHING MACHINEOriginal Filed Jan. 11, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR 0716a,! )5. Mns/o w v WM flak,

ATTORNEYS pecially in hot Patented Dec. 21, 1948 THREAD FINISHINGMACHINE Albert E. Winslow, Norwich, Conn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Universal Winding Company, Cranston, R. 1., acorporation of Massa chusetts Originalapplication January 11, 1944,Serial No.

Divided and this application Decembet 9, 1944, Serial No. 567,388

Claims. (Cl. 34-454) 1 This application is a division of my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 517,862, filed January ll. 1944, now PatentNumber 2,400,325.

This invention relates to a thread finishing apparatus for theapplication of a coating or size which may be desirable for variouspurposes.

Threads of different materials require different finishing in ordervthat the threads may be manipulated in such machines as knitting,braiding, weaving, or the like, where the threads are subjected tofriction in the working of the threads into various fabricatedarticles.- In the application of the coating or sizing heat isreduiredfor drying the sizing on the thread.f The heat which is requiredfor drying-the thread in a machine which is in use today lacks controland the room in which such a machine is operated becomes excessivelywarm and uncomfortable esweather while at'the same time there is anundesirable loss of heat. In machines which are used today theassembling package upon which the sized thread is packaged usuallysupplies the pull on the thread to draw it through the machine in whichthe sizing is applied. Such an arrangement makes it diilicult to controlthe speed of the evergrowing package that an even feed may be had andmuch slip and lost motion with consequent wear on the friction drivingbelt is experienced. Further the slip makes stretching of the. threaddifilcult. v

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus in whichthe heating chamber will be nicely controlled to conserve the heat andapply it to the threads without excessively heating the room.

Another object of the invention is to improve the drying of the coatingapplied to the threads.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the apparatus from the supplypackages through the coating machine and to the take-up creel;

. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view through the coating machine;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section illustrating the drive for thevarious rotating parts of the machine with drive to shaft 60 omitted;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the means of driving orsupplying power to the main drive shaft of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing themounting of the heating chamber;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the machine with the heating chamberomitted and illustrating the arrangement of the driving belt for thevarious rotating parts;

Fig.- 7 is a plan view on a somewhat larger scale showing the enteringend of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in section illustrating in somewhat moredetail and on a larger scale the delivery end of the machine;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 illustrating themounting of the delivery roll at the entering end of the machineillustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section of the same parts taken on line ill-i0 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail illustrating the so drive for the traversebar;

Another object of-the invention is to provide an arrangement so that theheating chamber will have heating energy applied thereto only during thetime that the machine is operating. The

heating chamber being automatically turned off when the machine isstopped.

Another object of the invention is to provide adjustment of the means ofdistributing the size, over the thread that the desired coating may behad.

Another object of the invention is to control the thread action bycontrol of the temperatures which it is successively subjected to.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel featuresof construction, as will be more fully described and par;-ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 12 is a lateral section through the brush chamber of the machine;

Fig. 13 is an elevation illustrating a. brush adlusting mechanism Fig.14 is an elevation of a pair of supply packages;

131g. 15 is a sectional view of the cooling unit; an

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit of theapparatus.

In proceeding with this invention the general plan is to draw threads byfeed rolls from a plurality of supply packages, which threads will begripped and arranged in side-by-side relation for the width of themachine making in eflect a web of threads for feeding through themachine. The threads are also gripped by a pair of delivery rolls whichtravel at a surface speed greater than the surface speed of the feedrolls. This results in a stretching of the threads between these twofeed rolls. A coating or sizing is applied to the threads at thisentrance and thissizing is dried upon the threads as they advancethrough the machine. Drying is done by applying controlled heat to theweb of threads and by also brushing 3 the threads; The brushing servesto spread the coating or sizing on the threads and also serves by itsfriction on the threads to assist in the drying of them. Brushing takesplace at several dillcrent points between the feeding in and deliverynip rolls and afiects a polishing of the coating which is applied to thethreads. As soon as the threads emerge from this coating machine theyare chilled at a point below room temperature which serves in many casesto limit the contraction of the thread which might occur after havingbeen stretched. However, in order to positively prevent any contraction,each thread is maintained under a substantial tension, and packaged on anon-collapsible spool as it emerges from the machine. 7

The apparatus may be considered as being in three parts and in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing I designate A as a supply creel, B the coating unit ormachine, and C the take-up or packaging-creel. The yarns are maintainedunder tension from the time the leave the supply creel until they arewound on the packages at C.

The supply creel consists of a plurality of pins l5, l arranged in pairsupon which headless packages ii, i? may be mounted. Each strand is drawnfrom one of these'packages while the opposite end 18 of the strand fromthis package is tied onto the lead-oil end i9 of the strand on thecompanion package mounted on an adjacent pin. Thus, as one package runsout the nextpackagestarts to furnish the supply. The operator replacesthe run-out package with a fresh one tying the lead-ofi end in the freshpackage to the tail end of the package which is operating. Thus, nostopping of this machine need occur for furnishing a supply of thethread which is to be sized. This method of furnishing a supply is knownin the textile industry.

The operation on the thread at the machine or unit B involves some novelsteps as well as new apparatus and will be explained and claimed indetail in this application. The unit 0 provides a take-up for eachstrand or yarn end and while any take-up mechanism may be utilized sofar as this machine is concerned which will maintain a tension on theyarn I have illustrated herein a novel form of take-up mechanism whichwill be described and claimed in greater detail in my co-pendingapplication Serial No, 517,861, now Patent No. 2,400,324.

With reference to the machine, designated B, as a part of the apparatus,I have provided a suit abl framework 20 in which various parts aremounted in bearings for rotation and as shown in Fig. 6 there aremounted at spaced intervals along the framework 28 shafts 2i, 2|, and2!", each mounted at each end in an adjustable hearing 22 (see alsoFigs. 12 and 13) which is carried by the slide 23 in turn verticallyadjustable in guideways 23 which are fixed on the framework of themachine. The amount of adjustment is indicated by the scale 25 and datumline 26 and is efiected by the threaded shaft 21 which extends throughthe worm gear 28 having a threaded bore 65 to engage therewith. The wormgear meshes with the work 29 (see Fig. 12) which may be actuated throughthe shaft 39 by the crank 33. A" duplicate arrangement of shaft 2?, wormgear 28', worm 29', provides for the adjustment of the opposite ends ofeach of the shafts 21, 2i, 2!" heretofore mentioned. Upon each of theshafts" 2|, 2|, or 2|", a brush 32, 32', 32" is mounted for rotation asthe shaft is driven.

At the feeding in end of the machine a' pair of assess;

4 a nip rollsslland 38 (see Fig. 2) are provided to grip the threadbetween them and prevent a slipp e of the threads with reference toeither of these rolls, while a similar pair of rolls 3! and .5 38 are.provided at the delivery end of the machine was to draw the threadsfromthe feed-in rolls 35 and 36 across the brushes 32, 32', and 82".- Thedelivery rolls are driven at a surface speed sufficiently greater thanthe feed-in rolls to 16 stretch the threads as they pass through themachine.

f'The upperrolls 35 and 31 of each of the pair of nip rolls'are fixedwhile the lower rolls 3! and 3B of each pair are eccentrically mountedwith 15 reference to the center of these upper rolls 3B and 3?. Thismounting is illustrated in greater de-' tail for the set of rolls 31,.38 in'Figs. 8 to 10,

while the mountings! roll 35 is similar thereto. The center shaft of theupper roll 31 is designated 29 4G and at either end a boss or eccentricportion 5i is mounted on thisshaft. This boss '4! forms a bearing forthe encircling annulus 42 which is mounted upon it and which forms apart 0! the bracket 43. This bracket carries shaft 44 upon 25 which thelower roll 38 is mounted. As this bracket is rotates about its bearingsM the roll 38 will move toward or from the upper roll 3! indicated indot dash lines in Figs. 9 and 10. These brackets at both ends of theroll are moved in unison by means of the segmental gears 43 formed onthe brackets which mesh with pinions 48, the pinions 48 being fixed on ashaft 47 extending from one side of the machine to the other. The shaft417 is provided with a worm gear 0 (see Fig. 8) at one end which mesheswith a worm ll operated by shaft til through the means of a crank whichengages the slot Si in the enlarged head thereof. While the weight ofthis larger roll of the two feed or delivery rolls is such that eachwould swing about its eccentric mounting by means of gravity so as tofirmly grip the threads, the worm gear means provide a positivearrangement by which these rolls maybe brought into firm nippingengagement with the threads to provide a good bite thereon.

At thefeed-in end of the machine the lower nip roll 36 is similarlymounted and swings into a trough 5B which contains a sizing bath I andthus serves to immerse the threads 52 as they lead into the machinebeneath the roll 30, thence up over the roll 35 and toward the deliveryrolls 31 and 38.

It is desirable that all of the rotating. parts be operated in unison.The drive of the machine comprises a main drive shaft (see Fig. 6) whichis driven by a low speed motor Bl (see Fig. 4) through belt 52 onto thelarge pulley 63 which is connected to the drive shaft 88 through anoverrunning clutch as There is also provided upon 60 the shaft to a highspeed drive which consists of a motor 65 which operates through a Reevesdrive $8 from which there extends a belt $7 to a pulley as which isfixed upon the shaft at. When this belt drives the shaft at high speed,the shaft 68 will operate freely without being retarded by the pulley 33by reason of its connectionto the shaft through the overrunning clutch56. At the inner end of the shaft 83 a gear 89 is provided. This gear 89drives the gear 10 on the upper shaft 40 of 70 the delivery rolls 3?.Upon this shaft is is provided another gear H which meshes with the gear72 on the shaft 65 upon which is mounted the larger roll of the deliverypair 38. I

The inner end-of this shaft 89 (see Figs. 3 and 75 6) is also providedwith a pulley it over winch upon pins runs a belt 15 to drive a pulleyI. on shaft II at the opposite end of the machine upon which shaft I!there is a gear 13 which meshes with a gear I9 on the shaft 30 (see alsoFig. '1) for driving the upper feed-in roll, 35. This belt 15 extendsbeneath idlers BI and 32 which are mounted on brackets 03 and 84 (seeFig. 3) and adjusted aboutthe supports 85 and 33 so as to exert thedesired amount of tension on the belt I! of the drive of these nip rollsfor feeding and delivering the work. The arrangement is such as to sizesor' diameters of the rolls that the delivery'rolls will be driven fasterthan the feed rolls so as to exert from one to twenty per cent stretchin the threads which pass through the machine.

n the shaft 80 there is a gear 31 which drives gear 88 on shaft 89 uponwhich the lower feed roll 36 is mounted and by means of which it isdriven. I

In order to effect a drive with the brushes pulley 90 is provided onshaft 60 (see Figs. 3 and 6) which drives pulley 9| on shaft 2i" by belt32. A second pulley 93 on this shaft -2I" furnishes drive through belt94 to pulley "on shaft 2I' which may be tensioned by idler 00 on bracketarm 91 (see Fig. 3) by adjustment aroundshaft 98. Pulley 99 on shaft 2I'serves as a means for driving belt I00 which engages pulley IIII onshaft 2| to drive the same, this belt I00 being tensioned by means ofpulley I02 (see P18. 3) adjustably by bracket arm I03 around the shaftI04.

Traverse bars at both ends of the machine are provided for traversingthe threads across the roll. At the delivery end of the machine, aspiral gear IIO (see Fig. 11) is mounted on the shaft 40 and engagesspiral gear III to operate shaft II2 upon which the crank H3 is mountedso that its pin II4 will guide IIB so as to oscillate the bar H3 whichcarries pins III back and forth to move the threads 52 which extendbetween the pins back and forth across the roll. The feed-in. end of themachine is provided with a similar traverse, there being thereillustrated the spiral gear III, the shaft H2, and crank H3. In.this'case, however, instead of engaging the traverse bar I20 directly apitman I2I is provided for engag ing the crank pin 4' which is pivotedas at I22 on the arm of a bracket I23 which bracket extends to thetraverse bar I20 for oscillating the same. I

The traverse bars H0 and I20 are mounted I25 at either end suitablysupported by brackets I26. Pins II! are provided on each of these barsfor leading the threads therethrough.

While the brushes serve to spread and dry to some extent the coatingwhich is applied to the thread a heating chamber is desirable and inthis connection I have provided a heating arrangement designatedgenerally I30 (see Figs. 2 and This heating arrangement consists of adish-like inverted casing I3I having a closed top with side and endflanges I32. A framework I33 serves to mount this casing in positionover the top of the brushes and is provided witha bar I34 which willengage the web-like form of threads extending through the machine andserve to press them downwardly so that they will engage the brushes 32,32', 32". One of these bars is positioned between adjacent brushes.Within this casing I3I I provide some suitable heating means which Ihave here shown as extend into the slot of a,

entire casing I30 may be lifted by means of a I -handle I31 whichextends along the casing lengthwise thereof and affords an easy means tolift the casing if it is desired to enter the interior of this coatingmachine for threading the same up. A suitable counterweight may beprovided for the lifting of the casing.

In order to confine the heated air which may be picked up by the brushesI have encased each of the brushes in a sheet metal casing designatedI40, I, and I40" and provided an exhaust I4I, I4I', I4I" from. theseveral chambers, so that the brushes may drive the heated airdownwardly pulling it into and through the spaces between the web ofthreads which is formed. In

,order to assist exhausting of the pipe, I have provided a fan I42 whichwill suck out the common pipe I43 to which each of these chambers I40,I40, and I40" is connected to provide greater efflciency in drying thethreads.

Where synthetic fibers are operated upon it may be desirable to chillthese fibers immediately that they have emerged from the heating andstretching operations preventing them from recovering or returning totheir state prior to stretching. This chilling may be provided by meansof a set of pipes I45 (see Fig. 15) which are colder thanroomtemperature and which are housed in a compartment I40 having ahinged cover I41 and through which the web of threads are led. A.suitable seal I48 is provided for passage of the threads into and fromthe compartment I40.

The arrangement is such that for threading up a broken end an operatorwill use an electrical control to throw the slow speed motor intooperationand pull a thread from the supply creel and drop it onto theweb of threads which is entering the machine. The thread will feedthrough onto the top of the lower feed roll where it may be picked up'bythe operator and then carried manually up over the top roll and over thebrushes, the operator lifting the heating unit .to some extent in orderto provide access, the

may be easily picked up by the operator and carried to the take-up creeland there caused to wind onto the take-up bobbin from which it wassevered. After which the operator may push the button in order to. startthe machine up again at high speed to continue the sizing operation at arapid rate. 4

In Fig. 16 I have illustrated a wiring diagram from the line to the twomotors 6|, and includin the heating means I35. The switch I50 may bemanipulated to cause operation of either the slow motor GI or the fastmotor 65 while the switch I5I for stopping and starting the motors isarranged ahead of the heating means I35 so that when energy is turnedoff to the motors the heating means is also turned oi! so that thethreads when not moving cannot be subjected to excessive heat.

as infra red lamps,

- brushes contacting the threads ,as they pass brushes positioned-tengage the threads to distribute the size thereon, a heating chamber fordrying said size on the threads positioned directly over said brushesand comprising top, side and end walls with an open bottom over thethreads,

means for feeding the threads through the chamber, means in the chamberto generate heat, a casing about said brushes opened at one end adiacentthe path of the threads and having an opening in a wall opposite theopened end, said brushes drawing the heat downwardly through the threadsand out through said opening to dry the threads.

2. In a I thread finishing apparatus, thread guides at each end'portionof the apparatus for guiding the threads in spaced relation through theapparatus, a drying unit comprising a chamber, means for feeding thethreads through the chamber, a series of rotary brushes contacting thethreads as they pass through the chamber to distribute the size thereon,a casing about said brushes opened adjacent the path of the threads andhaving an opening in a wall thereof through which air may discharge, andheating means positioned directly above the brushes and cooperatingtherewith to dry the treated threads, said brushes drawing the heatthrough the threads and out of said opening.

3. In a thread finishing apparatus, a drying unit comprising a chamber,means for feeding the threads through the chamber, a series of rotarybrushes contacting the threads as they pass through the chamber, acasing about each 01' said brushes 01.. generally trough shape openedadjacent the path of the threads and having an opening in the bottom,and heating means on the other side of the thread from said brushes andopen bottom cooperating with the brushes to dry the treated threads,said brushes drawing the heat through the threads and out through saidopening.

4. In a thread finishing apparatus, a drying unit comprising a chamber,means for feeding the through the chamber, a casing about each of saidbrushes of generally trough shape opened adiacent the path of thethreads and having an open-'1 ins in the bottom, and heatingmeanson theother side of the thread from said brushes and open bottom cooperatingwith the brushes to dry the treated threads, said brushes drawing theheat through the threads and out through said opening, and exhaustingmeans op'era'tively connected to said swings to draw the heat from theheatingmeans across the thread.

5. In a thread finishing apparatus, a drying unit 1 comprising achamber, means for feeding the threads throush the chamber, a series ofrotary brushes contacting the threads as they pass through the chamberto distribute the size thereon, a casing about said brushes openedadjacent the path of the threads and having an opening in a wall thereofthrough which air may discharge, and heating means positioned directlyabove the brushes and cooperating therewith to dry the treated threads,said brushes drawing the heat through the threads and out of saidopening.

ALBERT E. WINSLOW.

nsrsnnsoss crash The following references are oi record in the file oithis hetent:

threads through the chamber, a series of rotary UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,378,721 Rohdiek May 17, 1921 1,692,498 Gate's Nov.20, 1928 1,764,777 Broughton June 17, 1930 1,801,065 Ashworth Apr. 14,1931 1,868,617 Tompkins July 26, 1932 1,981,197 Roberts Nov. 20, 19342,059,066 Van Wyk Oct. 27, 1936 2,145,495 Paxton Jan. 31, 1939 2,224,665Bradshaw et al Dec. 10, 1940 2,225,505 Ofl'en Dec. 17, 1940 2,306,607Horton Dec. 29, 1942 2,318,533 Selvig. May 4, 1943 2,376,368 Lingie May22, 1945' 2,420,399

New May 13, 1947

